Reel packages and spool packages are used for the packaging of products which are produced in a continuous and connected manner and are packaged in large number or high count continuous lengths for long run use, including automated use. These products are typically packaged in a “ribbon wound” (layer on layer) or convolute manner on a central core of a size closely matching the width of the manufactured product, so that the user of the product may unwind the product in an orderly, controlled manner for use or installation in other products.
Products having a narrow face width may be wound so as to traverse the center core, alternately reversing direction within the confines of the sidewalls. The resulting package has multiple layers of product wound over the core, and between the sidewalls. Long, unbroken lengths of product may be packaged and stored by use of the elongated core with product that is traverse wound. Reels or spools that are useful with this type of packaging may have cores that are relatively long, and/or of relatively large diameter.
Products which are packaged on reels and spools are made of a wide variety of raw materials including metals, plastics, textiles and other products. The stiffness of some continuous products is such that the package must have a core with a large circumference (6 to 20″) to prevent undesired curling or bending of the manufactured product. Additionally, packages for these products have sidewalls or flanges which act as retainers to keep the product from slipping off and becoming twisted, bent, damaged or difficult or impossible to use. The sidewalls for larger reels used for relatively rigid products range in size from 10″ to 48″, and are made of corrugated board, solid fibreboard, Masonite, plastic, plywood, or other suitable materials. While there are technical differences between spools and reels as these terms are used in the art, the term “reel” is used herein to indicate reels and spools used for packaging.
The cores of prior art reels are made of a number of substrates such as pre-formed and pre-cut styrofoam discs, or pressed wood, plywood discs, or other suitable materials. Another embodiment employs rings of paper tubing cut from pre-made large diameter spiral or convolute paper tubes of a size or width which very nearly matches the width of the product being packaged or in the case of traverse wound products, a size which allows for appropriate winding area considering the weight and volume of the package. The sidewalls or flanges are then attached or fastened in a manner which protects the product from external damage, confines the product to minimal sidewise movement, and keeps the product wound in a controlled convolute or traversed package, thereby allowing for orderly unwinding of the product by the user.
The methods employed in the prior art for joining sidewalls or flanges to cores are varied. Since some of the cores are discs with solid sides (such as styrofoam or pressed wood), adhesives are applied to these sides and the sidewalls of paper and corrugated board are brought into contact and unitized by the curing of the adhesive.
Other packages are of such large diameter that factors such as weight and cost make solid cores impractical. In such cases, cores are formed of paper rings of appropriate diameter and face width (matching the product to be convolutedly or traverse wound) which are centered on sidewalls with holes punched to accept flat head threaded bolts or rods of a length appropriate to the width of the reel (with allowance for the thickness of the sidewall substrates). The bolt holes are positioned in close proximity to the rings, so that when they are tightened, they eliminate, or minimize, rotation of the ring. The second sidewall is positioned, and bolts are pressed through both sidewalls, and capped head or “T” nuts are attached to the bolts and tightened, creating a circular package or reel customized to the product's winding method and load area. The load area is the area from the ring or core to the outside diameter of the flange or sidewall is the load area.
The use of such bolts or rods produces a strong package. However, these packages are relatively expensive due to the cost of the bolts or rods, and due to the assembly time and labor required.
The sidewalls or flanges often have punches or apertures for different functions positioned on its face such as:                1. A center or arbor hole for mounting on an axis or rod for smooth “take up” or “let off” of the continuous product.        2. A drive hole to accept a pin which will, when a rotational force is applied, turn the package and thereby wind or “take up” the product as it is produced. (This arbor and drive hole configuration has become largely standardized and has a fixed central location)        3. Small apertures for inspection, product access and handling, which have no meaningful structural significance.        